Serving the High Plains
Serving the High Plains
Citing a larger spread in coronavirus cases, Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham said Wednesday the state's mask mandate would be more aggressively enforced with fines of $100. She also imposed up to a 14-day quarantine for all out-of-state visitors coming into New Mexico.
As expected, the governor placed Phase II of the state's reopening plan on hold. She also said businesses now are required to have all customers wear masks when they enter.
Her new order goes into effect now through July 15 with the hope New Mexico can stabilize its COVID-19 caseload by that time.
If not, Lujan Grisham said the state was “at grave risk” of seeing tougher restrictions imposed much like Texas and Arizona have in recent days. She also said a planned reopening of public schools in August was in jeopardy because of the surge in cases.
She urged residents to be more vigilant in efforts to slow the spread of the virus.
“We have time,” she said. “But we have to do it now. The trend lines in our state are endangering lives and livelihoods.”
Lujan Grisham said if the number of coronavirus cases don't stabilize or decrease in the next week or so, she said she would revisit possibly imposing new restrictions on restaurants, breweries and gymnasiums and set new occupancy limits on retailers and churches.
She urged New Mexicans to refrain from travel, avoid parties or gatherings and watch the Fourth of July fireworks from their homes or on television to reduce the possibility of the virus spreading.
Human Services Secretary David Scrase said a new study indicates facial coverings reduce the wearer's risk of infection in addition to reducing the chance of infecting others.
She said state police would remind people who aren't wearing masks to put them on. Otherwise, she said violators would be issued a citation for violating the state's public health order and fined $100. Lujan Grisham also said she would ask local law enforcement to help with compliance.
In answer to a question, Lujan Grisham said the state would not set up blockades or stings because it lacks the resources for such efforts.
The governor said little evidence exists recent police-brutality protests across the country led to an increase in COVID-19 in 45 states. She said from what she's seen and heard, people had grown lax or resistant to wearing masks, or tourists weren't wearing them because they weren't required in their home states.
“I don't understand how wearing masks became political,” she said. “I'm disappointed too many New Mexicans didn't take this seriously.”
Regarding the comprehensive 14-day quarantine, Lujan Grisham said she understood it would have an effect on the state's tourism industry. She said New Mexico is “staring down the barrel” of having COVID-19 surges like Texas and Arizona's.
Lujan Grisham said people who commute across state lines for work are exempt from the 14-day quarantine, but she encouraged employers to allow remote work.
The order states travelers must self-isolate or self-quarantine for 14 days or the duration of their stay, whichever is shorter, from the day they arrive in New Mexico.
Scrase said the recent rise in COVID-19 across the state was “really, really concerning.” The spread rate for the virus in New Mexico stood at 1.20; the goal is 1.05 or lower. In the Southeast region that includes Quay County, the spread rate rose from 1.17 to 1.66 in a week.
He said almost 10% of cases are people who've traveled out of state.
The percentage of New Mexicans younger than 30 years old who have contracted the disease has nearly tripled since March.
Scrase said locations with the highest risk for contracting COVID-19 are closed spaces with poor ventilation, close-contact settings and crowded places.
Health Secretary Kathy Kunkel said the Department of Health's rapid-response team dealt with 44 new cases overnight in businesses and other locations, when a typical day was six.
She said the sites involved in those outbreaks were “a much broader spread” of sectors than usual.